War of the Holy Sects, Fall of Great Saints! Lu Changsheng the Ultimate Victor!

"Damn it, we cannot go on like this." "Sect Master, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has gone too far! They are digging up the very roots of our Nine Origin Holy Sect!" "We cannot let the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect do as they please. Continuing to guard our mountain gate won't work anymore. We must take the initiative to strike out and face them in battle!" "It is either their death or ours!" Many Great Saints of the Nine Origin Holy Sect spoke up one after another. They knew the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's plan was meticulous, engineered specifically to force them out into a direct confrontation. Hoping to hide inside the mountain gate and rest while the enemy exhausted themselves? That was utterly impossible. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was not foolish enough for that. The Nine Origin Holy Sect Master wore a dark expression. Thoughts raced through his mind, one after another. He hesitated. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect was no weakling, and they had taken the initiative with thorough preparation. If the Nine Origin Holy Sect waited at ease within their mountain gate, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect could do little against them. Yet if the Nine Origin Holy Sect took the initiative to leave their mountain gate to seek battle, the outcome would be unpredictable. This was an agonizing choice for the Nine Origin Holy Sect. One wrong move could lead to utter ruin. Yet did the Nine Origin Holy Sect have any choice left? The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had mobilized in full force, clearly intent on fighting it out to see who was the true hegemon. If the Nine Origin Holy Sect backed down or cowered within their mountain gate, their territories would be stripped clean, and the thriving momentum the sect had enjoyed would be instantly severed. Therefore, the Nine Origin Holy Sect truly had no choice. "Hesitating when a decision is needed invites disaster." "The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect has pushed too far. Since they want to fight it out, we shall grant their wish." "The foundation our Nine Origin Holy Sect has accumulated all these years is no mere decoration." "Recall all Great Saints! We set forth together to settle things with the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect once and for all!" At last, the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master made up his mind. And so, the Great Saints gathered together, one after another. Everyone's expression was grave. They all knew this battle allowed no room for failure. "Move out." Thus, the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master led a large host of the sect's Great Saints and departed the mountain gate. *** Lu Changsheng was among the crowd. He looked at the ruins of the imperial palace before him. This had been a mortal kingdom under the jurisdiction of the Nine Origin Holy Sect, garrisoned by three Saint Realm experts. Unfortunately, they could not last even a single exchange against Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng had merely deployed his Thunder-Fire Dao to instantly annihilate them. The disparity between the Saint Realm and a Great Saint was simply too immense. Yet Lu Changsheng felt little joy. Bullying these Saint Realm figures yielded nothing—not even a single wisp of Dark Domain origin power. This meant these Saint Realm practitioners were neither prodigies nor blessed with fortune, so naturally they possessed no Dark Domain origin power. "I wonder how long the Nine Origin Holy Sect can hold out?" Lu Changsheng murmured softly. He knew that up until now, the battle had not truly begun, because the Nine Origin Holy Sect had yet to take the field. What use was merely cowering behind their mountain gate? The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect would not be foolish enough to attack the Nine Origin Holy Sect's mountain gate; that would be pointless. Since both were Holy Sects, breaking through a mountain gate's grand array without an Emperor was utterly impossible. In fact, under ordinary circumstances, even an Emperor could not easily break a Holy Sect's defensive array unless they were a peak Emperor or possessed supreme treasures. Of course, if a faction truly possessed an Emperor, no other power would ever dare provoke them. *Buzz.* Lu Changsheng's message transmission stone suddenly vibrated. "Return at once. The Nine Origin Holy Sect has mobilized." The message in the stone sent a jolt through Lu Changsheng's heart. The Nine Origin Holy Sect had finally run out of patience. "Time to go." Lu Changsheng immediately set out for the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's staging grounds. When he arrived, many Great Saints of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect were already in position, every one of them solemn. This was a war between Holy Sects, where even Great Saints would perish; no one took it lightly. "Elder Lu has arrived as well." The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master glanced at Lu Changsheng and went out of his way to greet him. Lu Changsheng was a guest elder. Strictly speaking, he did not need to participate in an affair like this; he could have simply withdrawn from the sect. Yet Lu Changsheng had not declined. He was still taking part in this Holy Sect war. This could not help but win him widespread goodwill throughout the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Of course, Lu Changsheng was not doing this to curry favor with the sect. He was only here to obtain more Dark Domain origin power. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As long as he was present on the battlefield, whenever someone died—especially prodigies—there would be Dark Domain origin power. Such Dark Domain origin power seemed invisible to many Great Saints; only Realm Lords could keenly perceive it. In other words, Lu Changsheng could use this Holy Sect war to harvest a vast amount of Dark Domain origin power. How could he miss such a golden opportunity? Still, Lu Changsheng knew very well that this battle was extraordinary. High-rank Great Saints would be entering the fray. With his current strength, preserving his own life had to remain his top priority. Otherwise, if he died, what would be the point of acquiring all the Dark Domain origin power in the world? Days slipped by. Finally, a few days later, Lu Changsheng saw a host of Great Saints howling through the distant void. The Nine Origin Holy Sect had arrived! They came in a grand and imposing force, every Great Saint radiating terrifying auras. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect refused to be outdone, its Great Saints releasing their auras as well. For a time, the formless auras seemed to solidify, constantly clashing and contending across the void. "Hmph! Well done, Dao Comprehension Holy Sect!" "Did you not want to fight it out?" "Now our Nine Origin Holy Sect is here!" "After all these years, a victor between our two Holy Sects had to be decided sooner or later!" The Nine Origin Holy Sect Master spoke, his voice echoing through the void. He wasted no breath on pleasantries, stating their purpose directly. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master narrowed his eyes slightly. Indeed, what the other said was true. A battle between the two sides was inevitable. As for the reason? It did not matter! Only strength mattered! "Since your Nine Origin Holy Sect dared to act, you must be prepared to pay the price!" "Superfluous words are pointless. Strike!" As the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master's words fell, the Great Saints of both sides held back no longer. Paths of the Great Dao stretched across the sky. Terrifying Dao power swept in overwhelming waves, constantly colliding in the void. The void itself seemed shattered. Countless Daos were ground into oblivion. Even high-rank Great Saints faced the risk of falling. This battle was of immense significance, drawing the attention of countless factions. At this very moment, myriad factions observed from afar through the void. "The Nine Origin Holy Sect's power has been flourishing over the past ten thousand years. They've long wanted to supplant the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, suppress them, and become the hegemon. Their strength is naturally formidable." "Heh, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect is no pushover either. They were once the orthodoxy of an Emperor, with deep heritage. They stood toe-to-toe with the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone all this time. Even when the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone gave birth to another heavenly demon, they still couldn't destroy the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect, which shows how powerful they are. For the Nine Origin Holy Sect to replace them is still a bit of a stretch." "This time, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect spared no expense to stabilize the Heavenly Demon Forbidden Zone, precisely to crush the Nine Origin Holy Sect in one fell swoop. There are only these two Holy Sects in the vicinity; to claim hegemony, one must crush the other. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect came fully prepared and won't show mercy. Their odds of winning might be a bit higher." "As for who holds the upper hand, let's keep watching. Whichever side wins has nothing to do with us. In fact, maybe we can even scoop up some benefits..." Countless experts conversed across the void. Some factions even hoped both sides would suffer mutual destruction, so they could reap the spoils of the fisherman. However, both the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect and the Nine Origin Holy Sect understood the adage of the snipe and clam well enough. Yet they knew even better that this battle was inescapable. All they could do was crush the other side and cement their own hegemony! "Kill!" With no further words, the Nine Origin Holy Sect and the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect clashed instantly. Great Saints unleashed their Dao power, which crashed against one another in terrifying waves. The high-rank Great Saints of both sides were almost immediately locked in combat. High-rank Great Saints referred to those with seven Daos or more. Those with seven Daos or above possessed earth-shattering might and could sweep low-rank Great Saints aside almost effortlessly. They were entirely on different levels. Thus, high-rank fought high-rank, and low-rank fought low-rank. While they might not be paired off against opponents of the exact same cultivation, the differences were never too great. Unless the high-rank Great Saints suffered a devastating defeat—in which case the victor's surplus high-rank Great Saints would turn upon the low-rank Great Saints, signaling that total defeat was near. Lu Changsheng's opponent was a two-Dao Great Saint. Perhaps because Lu Changsheng had displayed the aura of a two-Dao Great Saint, he had been targeted. His opponent unleashed surging Dao power, two Great Daos sweeping toward Lu Changsheng. Combat between Great Saints was actually quite unadorned and straightforward: clashing with Great Daos to see whose Dao was stronger. Various secret methods, stances, and techniques mattered little. The power of the Great Dao was the foundation. Crushing the opponent with sheer force was the true way! His opponent seemed to cultivate the Daos of Water and Wind. The two Great Daos swept in with billowing momentum. Yet that was all. With a thought from Lu Changsheng: *Clang!* A sound like the chime of a sword resonated. Terrifying sword intent instantly surged across the sky toward his foe. "That is..." The Nine Origin Holy Sect's two-Dao Great Saint widened his eyes, his mind shuddering. What was he seeing? A Sword Dao. Yet this Sword Dao was like a colossal divine sword, radiating a razor-sharp aura. "Slash!" Lu Changsheng unleashed the Eternal Sword Dao. His Eternal Sword Dao, resembling a divine sword, cleaved fiercely toward his opponent's two Great Daos. *Crack!* A crisp snap echoed. Severed. The two Great Daos were cleaved cleanly in half by Lu Changsheng's Eternal Sword Dao, snapping completely! "What?" The Nine Origin Holy Sect's two-Dao Great Saint could hardly believe his eyes. Lu Changsheng had only deployed a single Eternal Sword Dao. With just one Dao, he had severed both of his opponent's Daos? How was that possible? "Just... what kind of Dao are you using?" The two-Dao Great Saint shuddered violently. Having his Great Daos forcibly severed had dealt him a grievous injury, yet the shock in his soul was far greater. "The Eternal Sword Dao!" As Lu Changsheng's voice fell, his opponent's body was pierced through by the Eternal Sword Dao, reducing him to fine powder. Dead. A two-Dao Great Saint was not even a match for a single strike from Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng's Eternal Sword Dao was even more formidable than he had imagined. However, this feat thrust Lu Changsheng straight into the spotlight of the battlefield. The battle had only just begun, and the power of the Great Dao was immense; grinding down Dao power was no easy feat. When two sides were evenly matched, battles were mostly wars of attrition, wearing each other down slowly. Once one became a Great Saint, being killed was exceedingly difficult. Yet Lu Changsheng's opponent was already dead. A two-Dao Great Saint couldn't even withstand a single exchange before being slain by Lu Changsheng. For a time, this two-Dao Great Saint became the first Great Saint to fall in the entire battlefield, drawing everyone's attention. "What? Great Saint Tianfeng has fallen?" "He was a two-Dao Great Saint of our Nine Origin Holy Sect! Did he encounter an expert of the fourth rank or higher?" "No, his opponent only bears the aura of a two-Dao Great Saint. Though his face is unfamiliar, he should only be a two-Dao Great Saint." "Then how could a two-Dao Great Saint slay Great Saint Tianfeng in a single move?" "The other party only used one Dao—a Sword Dao." "His Sword Dao is terrifyingly strong; it severed both of Great Saint Tianfeng's Daos in an instant." Shock rippled through the Nine Origin Holy Sect. One of their own two-Dao Great Saints had died right off the bat. He was no weakling, yet he had perished in a flash. A chill gripped the hearts of many Great Saints. Meanwhile, the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect side was exhilarated. Naturally, they recognized Lu Changsheng. They all knew he was a guest elder. Usually keeping a low profile, he had been practically invisible in the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Who could have guessed that Lu Changsheng was so terrifying? Instantly killing Great Saint Tianfeng! In an instant, the morale of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's Great Saints soared, and they attacked their opponents with renewed frenzy, determined to slay their foes as well. "Cease your arrogance! This old man shall slay you!" At that moment, a three-Dao Great Saint moved. Becoming the focus of the battlefield meant becoming a priority target. "A three-Dao Great Saint?" Lu Changsheng reached out casually. When the two-Dao Great Saint had died just now, he had left behind two wisps of Dark Domain origin power, which Lu Changsheng naturally did not pass up. *Rumble!* The Thunder-Fire Dao manifested. The void turned a fiery crimson, with faint lightning flashing within. Deep in the heart of the lightning lay the Eternal Sword Dao, like a divine sword poised in the midst of thunder. The power of two Great Daos directly confronted the three Daos of the Nine Origin Holy Sect elder. *Bang!* The powers of the Great Daos collided fiercely. Lu Changsheng's Thunder-Fire Dao was not extraordinarily strong, but it was certainly not weak either. As for the Eternal Sword Dao, it was even more ferocious. However, the others did not know that this ferocity came not from Lu Changsheng's Daos, but from his Illusory Realm. His two Great Daos were actually simulated by the Illusory Realm. Now, his clash against the opponent's three Daos was in truth a clash of the Illusory Realm itself. Having reconstructed so many Daos, the Illusory Realm's power was already earth-shattering, capable of fighting above his realm against Great Saints. And right now, Lu Changsheng was doing precisely that. He did not dare to be careless. Since he was fighting above his realm, he directly mobilized the full power of his Illusory Realm and slammed it violently into the three Daos. That collision dealt the opponent a crushing blow. How terrifying was the momentum of three Great Daos? Yet under Lu Changsheng's collision, the three Daos shuddered violently, countless fractures spreading across them in an instant, as if they would shatter at any second! The three-Dao Great Saint paled in terror. Lu Changsheng clearly only had two Daos, so why was he this powerful? This was an unadorned clash of pure Dao power. Strength was strength, and weakness was weakness; there was no room for trickery. For Lu Changsheng's two Daos to nearly shatter three Daos upon impact could mean only one thing: Lu Changsheng was far stronger. With the cultivation of a two-Dao Great Saint, he was able to slay a three-Dao Great Saint! And indeed he was. While the first collision did not shatter the three Daos completely, Lu Changsheng struck a second time. Then a third, a fourth, a fifth... *Crack!* Finally, upon the ninth collision, the three Daos could endure no longer and collapsed in unison. "Ah—!" With his Great Daos destroyed, the three-Dao Great Saint's physical body was obliterated by Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm, turned to fine dust. This time, Lu Changsheng gained even more: a full seven wisps of Dark Domain origin power. This proved that the three-Dao Great Saint had once been a prodigy himself, and had likely slain quite a few prodigies to amass so much Dark Domain origin power. This was only natural. To condense three Daos was remarkably difficult in itself; one had to be a prodigy! As for those high-rank Great Saints, every single one of them was likely a supreme prodigy. Lu Changsheng was elated. Coming here had truly been the right choice. Slaying just two Great Saints had already netted him this much Dark Domain origin power. However, having slain a two-Dao Great Saint and then a three-Dao Great Saint in succession, Lu Changsheng had thoroughly stolen the limelight. Many Great Saints of the Nine Origin Holy Sect kept their eyes glued to Lu Changsheng. Some four-Dao or even five-Dao Great Saints attempted to move against him, but they were entangled by their own opponents and could not break away to deal with him. Yet that did not stop them from transmitting messages among themselves: "Who is that cultivator who slew a two-Dao and a three-Dao Great Saint in succession? Why have we never heard of such a figure in the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect?" "This person possesses a mere two Daos, yet he can defeat a three-Dao Great Saint. He is definitely a supreme prodigy! If he continues to grow, he could very well become another high-rank Great Saint in the future!" "He seems to be a guest elder of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect named Lu Changsheng, titled 'Great Saint Changsheng.' It's said he hails from Tianyu City. We paid him little mind before, assuming he was merely a two-Dao Great Saint. Who knew his strength was this terrifying? No wonder the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect made him a guest elder—he is currently their only one." "We cannot allow him to run rampant against our two-Dao and three-Dao Great Saints. We must find a way to break free. At least a four-Dao or five-Dao Great Saint must step in!" "Under current circumstances, the high-rank Great Saints are all tied down, and the four-Dao and five-Dao Great Saints are closely watched as well. We simply can't reach him." "If one can't, then join forces! Can several three-Dao Great Saints working together fail to kill a mere two-Dao Great Saint?" The Nine Origin Holy Sect understood Lu Changsheng's potential. They knew even better that such a figure posed a tremendous threat to their side in this war. After all, the number of Great Saints on both sides was roughly equal. With Lu Changsheng slaying two-Dao and three-Dao Great Saints one after another, the Nine Origin Holy Sect's numbers would dwindle. When that happened, minor local disadvantages would be amplified infinitely, leading to a total collapse across the entire battle. Yet it was not so easy for the Nine Origin Holy Sect to spare anyone. Lu Changsheng did not strike again. Instead, he retreated a distance to rest and consolidate. After all, both battles had been head-on collisions; his Illusory Realm needed some stabilization. More importantly, Lu Changsheng knew he had been targeted. If he kept this up and the enemy resolved to kill him at any cost—even taking heavy injuries to do so—he would be in grave danger. In any case, Lu Changsheng's goal was to gather Dark Domain origin power. Now that both sides were fighting with real fury, all he needed to do was fish in troubled waters and harvest wisp after wisp of Dark Domain origin power. Days went by. Eventually, another Great Saint fell. And it was no ordinary Great Saint, but a high-rank Great Saint! A distinguished seventh-rank Great Saint had fallen! Yet it was not from the Nine Origin Holy Sect, but the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. With the fall of one of their high-rank Great Saints, the hearts of all the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's Great Saints sank. Of course, there was a reason: the Nine Origin Holy Sect had sacrificed two fourth-rank Great Saints to tie down the high-rank Great Saint for a brief period, allowing three high-rank Great Saints to gang up and besiege him. Only then did the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's high-rank Great Saint fall. Yet the Nine Origin Holy Sect had also lost two fourth-rank Great Saints in the exchange. Great Saints fell one after another, resembling a clash between mortal armies. Yet this was no mortal warfare. Those falling were not ordinary cultivators, but Great Saints! The heavens and earth seemed to lament. As Great Daos shattered, celestial phenomena arose, making it look as though the world itself was weeping. Many factions and Great Saints watching from afar felt a chill in their hearts at the sight. So this was a war between Holy Sects. To think it would be so brutal! Usually, Great Saints stood high above the world; the fall of even a single Great Saint would cause widespread shock. Yet now? In the brief span of this engagement, more than ten Great Saints had already perished! Even a high-rank Great Saint had fallen. It could only be described as catastrophic. Yet the most elated person was none other than Lu Changsheng. He saw that when the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's high-rank Great Saint fell, a cluster of Dark Domain origin power burst forth. Yes, a cluster! It did not contain merely a few wisps of Dark Domain origin power, but dozens of them! Truly worthy of being a high-rank Great Saint. Every high-rank Great Saint was a supreme prodigy, possessing the qualifications to reach for Emperor status—each one a former Emperor seed. What a pity they had perished here. Lu Changsheng silently slipped to the location where the high-rank Great Saint had fallen. "Collect." He immediately harvested dozens of wisps of Dark Domain origin power. As for the other fallen Great Saints, whenever Dark Domain origin power appeared, Lu Changsheng would "pay a visit." "Hm?" Suddenly, an alarming sense of danger gripped Lu Changsheng's heart. "Fall back!" Without a second thought, Lu Changsheng retreated frantically. *Boom!* Right where Lu Changsheng had been standing, the void seemed to shatter. Terrifying Dao power swept through the void. By a hair's breadth, Lu Changsheng had nearly been caught by that Dao power. In truth, the power of a single Great Dao was nothing to fear; the danger was that being struck would pin him down. At that point, seven other Great Daos would come crashing down upon him! This was a terrifying eight-Dao Great Saint who had actually set his sights on Lu Changsheng. By a mere sliver, Lu Changsheng had almost landed in grave trouble. "Hmph, you ran fast." The eight-Dao Great Saint only had that one brief opportunity before being entangled once again by a high-rank Great Saint of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. Lu Changsheng's heart sank. Just now, he had nearly resorted to using the Black Light Pagoda. Even against an eight-Dao Great Saint, using the Black Light Pagoda would allow him to traverse space and escape instantly without falling into a desperate situation. Yet once he used the Black Light Pagoda, he could no longer remain on the battlefield, and his chance to harvest Dark Domain origin power would be lost. "Be careful. I must be even more cautious." Lu Changsheng remained vigilant. He had been too conspicuous earlier, slaying two Great Saints in quick succession and drawing unwanted attention. Now, whenever high-rank Great Saints saw an opening, they wanted to eliminate him first. He had to exercise even greater caution. During the subsequent fighting, Lu Changsheng did not wander recklessly. He moved only within the battle zone of Great Saints below the fourth rank, occasionally assisting struggling Great Saints to slay their opponents. Even so, with Lu Changsheng's intervention, the tide of battle among Great Saints below the fourth rank gradually tilted. More and more Nine Origin Holy Sect Great Saints below the fourth rank fell. Having gained numerical superiority, the two-Dao and three-Dao Great Saints of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect dared to support the four-Dao and five-Dao Great Saints. Even if it was only harassment, it was still a force to be reckoned with. As one side waxed and the other waned, the situation among the four-Dao, five-Dao, and six-Dao Great Saints gradually shifted in favor of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect. The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect's advantage grew increasingly pronounced. The Nine Origin Holy Sect Master grew intensely anxious, yet there was nothing he could do. Time trickled away. Finally, yet another high-rank Great Saint fell! And it was an eighth-rank Great Saint—virtually at the peak of the Great Saint realm! He was the law enforcement elder of the Nine Origin Holy Sect, belonging to the sect's core leadership. Yet he had fallen too. Several fifth-rank Great Saints had coordinated with a high-rank Great Saint of the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect to slay him. With the death of the law enforcement elder, a shudder went through the Great Saints of the Nine Origin Holy Sect. Thoughts of retreat surfaced in their minds. In this battle, the Nine Origin Holy Sect had suffered disastrous losses, with far too many Great Saints fallen. Now even their law enforcement elder was dead. Their defeat was sealed. If this war continued, the Nine Origin Holy Sect might cease to exist entirely. When the time came, if all their high-rank Great Saints were exhausted, what good would an empty mountain gate be? "Enough... we have lost..." At last, the Nine Origin Holy Sect Master spoke, his face filled with desolation. "Admitting defeat?" The Dao Comprehension Holy Sect Master halted as well. Lu Changsheng seized the moment to collect the Dark Domain origin power left behind by the death of the Nine Origin Holy Sect's eight-Dao Great Saint. He then slipped back into the crowd. The Nine Origin Holy Sect had conceded so soon? Lu Changsheng felt a tinge of regret. Yet looking closely, both the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect and the Nine Origin Holy Sect had suffered heavy casualties. Continuing the fight would truly lead to mutual destruction. At that stage, even victory would come at a cost far exceeding any gains. Therefore, a ceasefire was in the best interest of both sides. Now that the battle had ceased, the two factions would negotiate territories, benefits, and the like. None of that concerned Lu Changsheng. Yet without question, Lu Changsheng had reaped an abundant harvest this time. Neither the Nine Origin Holy Sect nor the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect had any idea that Lu Changsheng was the true winner of this war!